My Nonprofit Reviews

Richard

The Trevor Project is an outstanding non-profit organization committed to literally saving lives of LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Questioning) youth, (ages 13-24) everyday, 24/7. Everyday phone calls are received an answered by volunteers. Sometimes, a young person calling in may have a simple question about their sexuality, other times, they are ready to end their life at that moment with a gun or a bottle of pills in their hand -- but they have called The Trevor Project's toll free number to reach out before they end their life. Calls are taken from all over the country from large and small cities to rural towns.
Every Trevor Project helpline counselor receives extensive training before they ever answer a phone call. I know lives are saved by The Trevor Project, because I have personally helped several young people not to kill themselves and have sent emergency services to several individuals who were going to take their own life. The Trevor Project will take a phone call from any person regardless of their age or sexual orientation and help them regardless of what their situation is. Some callers are in crisis, some are suicidal and other callers just need to talk to someone and have them listen.
There are many links on the The Trevor Project's website -- www.thetrevorproject.org for young people. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TrevorBlog have now become resources for youth to further assist young people. There is a link entitled "Suicide Resources" which lists resources across the entire country for young people who may need help. This particular link offers not only suicidal resources, but other organizations such as health and counseling centers for LGBTQ youth.
The Trevor Survival Kit can be requested by any organization and will be mailed out. The kit contains posters, resource guides, phone number cards, a video and instructional program information for organizations or schools to discuss the myriad of issues surrounding suicide, personal identity and sexual orientation. In addition, a resource guide can be downloaded from the website.
The organization has also established a social network called www.TrevorSpace.org where youth can reach out to each other and where articles are posted by The Trevor Project.
The entire staff is committed to helping saving lives and they know that volunteers are a key resource. The staff constantly encourages feedback from the volunteers to improve the organization. But most importantly, the staff reacts to the feedback given by volunteers and takes the feedback, either negative or positive, in a constructive and positive manner.
The Trevor Project sponsors outreach programs to middle and high schools, and works closely with other organizations to end the discrimination of those young individuals who may have a different sexual preference, gender identity or are questioning any aspect of themself.
Volunteering for The Trevor Project has changed my life forever. Knowing that there are young people in this country who are suffering or wanting to kill themself because parents, family, friends, teachers, religious organizations or school officials do not want to accept what a young person feels about their sexual identity or orientation has prompted me to continue to be an advocate for LGBTQ youth for the rest of my life.
I am proud to be associated with The Trevor Project as a volunteer helpline counselor and work as a team with other counselors and the staff to end prejudice and save young lives.
Most importantly, it an honor and a privilege to talk to young people on every single call I answer. Young people are intelligent, sensitive and smart. I am proud to be available to any young person that calls The Trevor Project for any assistance they need. I know that on the other line a young person may just have a simple question or is reaching out for help and, I, volunteering on behalf of The Trevor Project, may be the last resource or person they have to talk to before they decide to end their precious life. If it wasn't for The Trevor Project, who would a young person have called?
Please help me to honor and endorse The Trevor Project which continues to be of service and save lives. You can read more about The Trevor Project by visiting www.thetrevorproject.org.
If you are a young person in crisis or considering suicide, or just need to talk to someone about any issue, please feel free to confidentially call the toll-free Trevor helpline phone number at 1-866-4-U-TREVOR (1 866-488-7386). Every phone line counselor wants to be available to help you and will treat you with respect, sensitivity and assist you with your situation. The Trevor Project believes all lives are important and is available to help you.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

the way it has impacted the LGBTQ youth community by educating adults who serve the youth of America and by saving lives through the confidential toll free phone number that young people can call when they are suicidal or in a crisis situation.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

continue to follow-thru on all the hard work that the past and present staff and volunteers have worked on to visualize, create and implement to educate and save the lives of LGBTQ youth across The United States.

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

the fact that I have personally contributed to saving the lives of several indviduals by being available to answer their phone call. Also the statf leadership and dediciation of Phoenix Schneider, Michael Vacha Jr. and Dave Reynolds is outstanding.

The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...

outstanding in each and every way. The staff and volunteers are sensitive, keen, professional and knowledgeable. They are focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...

help save many more young lives by being able to expand it's communication efforts, hiring more staff, and help to save the lives of the other 35,000 young people that kill themself every year. The cost of each phone call at The Trevor Project is $15.00.

Ways to make it better...

prejudice for all people in this country was not tolerated regardless of sexual identity or orientation and I didn't have to volunteer at The Trevor Project to talk to young people and help them not kill themself because of how they personally identify.

In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...

money. As a non-profit organization, the The Trevor Project relies on donations to operate.

One thing I'd also say is that...

I know, in my heart, if it wasn't for The Trevor Project, there would be thousands of lives that would not be around today because there would have been no phone number to call so a trained volunteer could help a young person not kill themself.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2009

Role: Volunteer & I currently answer phone calls twice a month from youth. I serve on the Helpline Counselor Sub-Committee.I recently escorted a bus load of youth to California's capital for Queer Advocacy Youth day to talk to legislators about The Harvey Milk Day Bill.